DESCRIPTION (Adapted from Applicant's Description): Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common, progressive neurologic disease that leads to functional disability over a 10-to-20 year period. Cognitive deficits associated with MS are a significant public health problem affecting quality of life. This project provides the infrastructure to support the development of a clinical research program. The interventions will be pharmacological and behavioral. Outcome will be measured not only in terms of disease progression, but also, functional disability. Specific aim 1 is to provide support for the development of the infrastructure at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to establish an effective clinical research arm for preexisting MS patient care services, as part of the Consortium of MS Centers. It is hypothesized that external support will provide a mechanism whereby scientist/practitioners at MUSC will expand basic science research to develop a multidisciplinary clinical research program. The grant will provide financial support of faculty, access to resources at MUSC for research planning, execution, data acquisition and analysis, consultation with outside specialists, and collaborations beyond the scope of routine patient care. Specific aim 2 is to develop the essential elements for a successful clinical intervention trial aimed at slowing disease progression coupled with skill building for remediation of cognitive deficits associated with MS. The major question being addressed is: Do disease-modifying pharmacological interventions have any functional significance in terms of reducing disability in the MS patient's everyday life? If not, would a combined pharmacological/behavioral intervention be the treatment of choice? It is expected that the multimodal effort will be the most efficacious approach of the treatment with the regard to functional outcome. Through collaborative efforts, experimental design regarding sample size, subject recruitment, interventional strategy, measurement, data management/analysis, and data interpretation will be addressed. The project is expected to lead to an externally funded grant with the goal to achieve enhanced functional outcome of MS patients.